Summarize

It’s all eyes on iDube near Camperdown in the KwaZulu Natal Midlands when the South African Rotax Max Challenge Karting Nationals head to neutral ground for their fifth round on Saturday 14 June. Can the Cape drivers maintained their advantage so far this season, will Gauteng fight back, and how many local surprises lie in store?

Speaking of Cape Town domination, it’s a 1-2-3-4 in DD2, where veteran Jason Coetzee has won five of the six heats so far and scored a second with a perfect regional score. He carries a twelve point advantage over old rival Sebastian Boyd, the surprise of 2025 Anwill April and Matthew Wadeley. Bradley Liebenberg is best of the upcountry drivers in the premier Rotax gearbox class ahead of another Cape lad, Ethan Stier.

Former KZN driver and recent Cape settler Jonathan Pieterse leads the way home for what should be an epic day of Rotax DD2 Masters racing. He has another KZN home hero, Rotax Max world champion Cristiano Morgado on his championship case with Mozambican Cristian Bouché an impressive third from Cape lad Jimmy Auby and best Gauteng driver Justin Rogers.

Another two Cape drivers, Charl Visser and Jordon Wadeley top the Rotax Senior Max table. They have no less than eleven Gauteng drivers on their case, headed by Roshaan Goodman with karting girls Gianna Pascoal and impressive newcomer Tayla Scrimjeour, another new name in the consistent Rudi Schlusser and Kent Swartz heading the chase. Senior Max promises a full grid at tight, twisty, undulating, and challenging iDube.

Consistent Eastern Cape lad Caleb Moss leads Cape Town driver Sebastiano Human in the high school Rotax Junior Max and they likewise have a significant gang of Gauteng kids on their case. Like Moss and Human, karting lass Emma Dowling and another EP racer Jack Moore have also won races, with Reagile Mailula, Sebastian Blignaut and Tshepang Shisinwana also right in there, but don’t ignore Vereeniging winner Matao Mason in this fight.

Cape lad and opening round winner Max Boshoff holds a nine point advantage over top Jozi lad and the winner of the second round at Vereeniging, Brody Dowling at the top of the under-13 Rotax Mini Max table. Eight more Gauteng drives make up the top ten led by Declan Jurgens, Rafael de Souza, Ronaldo Koen, and Lwashu Mathebula on what promises to be another packed grid at the iconic iDube circuit.

Yet another Cape lad, Michael O’Mahoney holds a slender advantage over three Jozi lads, Luhan de Wet, Luke du Toit and Adriaan Steyn in the under 11 Rotax Micro Max chase. Three more Western Province kids, Yaqeen Gamieldien Radhi Harris and Jake Steyn are in close contention in that chase too. 

Last but not least, it’s little Alonzo de Oliveira who’s holding Gauteng honour in place in the baby Bambinos. Not that Cape rival Divaaj Govender is too far adrift in the chase ahead of Jozi four, Sebastien Shuttleworth, Yerhu Malaba,  Zonkizizwe Holomisa and Tiyani Malabie in the battle on those Zululand hills.

“2025 has proven a splendid Rotax Max National year so far,” Rotax SA CEO Ed Murray concluded. “Cape drivers took the advantage back home in round 1, before the Gauteng gang fought back at Vereeniging, which once again saw record entries in several classes and epic, spectacular racing across the board. Now we head to neutral ground at iDube this weekend, so it’s a matter of light that blue touch paper and take five paces back. Let’s race!” 

With iDube being the third of four rounds, the 2025 South African Rotax champions will be crowned at the fourth and final Max Nationals in September. They will form the basis of the South African team alongside the winners of the 5 July Rotax African Open. The team will travel to the annual Rotax Max Grand Finals ‘Olympics of Karting’ in Bahrain in December. 

Catch the iDube Rotax Max National action live streamed at www.rotax.co.za Saturday 14 June.